No joke: Two beer fests in one day

Savannah Bananas bring Tap of the Morning and Afternoon Delight on April Fool’s Day

The Tap of the Morning and Afternoon Delight beer fests both take place April 1st on the grounds of Grayson Stadium. Tickets to individual fests are $35. A VIP ticket will set you back $50 but gives you access to both festivals. Tap of the Morning runs from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and Afternoon Delight 2-5:30 p.m. More information and tickets can be found at thesavannahbananas.com/beerfest or by calling 912-712-2482.

A BEER FESTIVAL can be a great thing. But two beer festivals on the same day? Well, that’s just Bananas.

No really, the Savannah Bananas are holding two beer festivals on the same day. Hosting a morning beer fest and then an afternoon beer fest immediately after it was the crazy thing.

Tap of the Morning, as the a.m. version of the April 1 beer fest is called, and Afternoon Delight, the p.m. version, are the next great marketing events from the Savannah Bananas. Each will feature numerous breweries serving up over a hundred beers, food trucks to keep you fed (and sober) and some music to keep you entertained.

Here is the run down. Tap of the Morning opens April 1 at 9 a.m. for you early birds, the food truck Big Cheese Legend will be serving up breakfast sandwiches, and the first of five bands scheduled through day will begin playing and the beers will start pouring.

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Tap of the Morning closes up at 12:30 p.m. allowing everyone to take a breather, or a nap, and enjoy some between festival music. Afternoon Delight starts up at 2 p.m. and runs until 5:30 p.m. The Squeaky Beaver food truck will be on hand for afternoon snacking and the full slate of breweries will continue to pour. Entry for each festival is $35 but $50 VIP tickets earn you admission to both festivals and a few reserved beers samples.

The full brewery list has not been released yet but expect all your local favorites, Service, Moon River and Coastal, some of the usual larger craft breweries, Lagunitas, Oskar Blues and plenty of the hotter breweries like Bell’s, and Cigar City.

An all day beer fest can take a toll. So here is my tried and true beer festival survival guide:

Eat: Food will help you make it through the day. Take advantage of those food trucks and eat before you go. Have a nice big breakfast or lunch before you go and your full belly will help keep the pace of your drinking level.

(Bonuspro tip: Avoid palate-killing spicy foods.)

Drink water: Hydrate before you enter the festival. Hydrate while at the festival. Drink a glass of water for every glass of beer you drink.

Pace yourself: The day is about quality beer, not quantity. Sip and enjoy your beer. Pay attention to the flavors in every beer you sample. Make comparisons and talk them over with your buddies. If you don’t like a beer, that’s OK, don’t drink it. Take a break every now and then to enjoy the music and talk to a beer rep.

Talk to brewery representatives: The reps aren’t there just to pour you a drink. Beer representatives all love beer and beer lovers love to talk beer so ask questions, these guys are pros, you’ll get good answers.

Have a plan: Brewery participants for the Dual Fests are not listed yet but will be posted online before festival. Go in knowing what breweries you want to sample. Feel free to wander from time to time but stick to your plan.

Charge your phone: You are certain to find a great beer you’ll want to revisit later. There are several beer apps available that usually have a rating system, a means to record photographs and a means to take beer notes. You may also need it to call a for a ride.

Upgrade to VIP tickets: VIP tickets to beer festivals always have several perks that are usually worth it for the craft beer enthusiast. Tap of the Morning & Afternoon Delight Beer Fests VIP tickets access to special beers and free naps.

Have a safe ride home: NO ONE wants you driving home after drinking. Have a ride ready to pick you up or plan for a cab. The Savannah Bananas have $10 designated driver tickets. Your ride can enjoy music while to drink up.

The Tap of the Morning and Afternoon Delight beer fests both take place April 1st on the grounds of Grayson Stadium. Tickets to individual fests are $35. A VIP ticket will set you back $50 but gives you access to both festivals. Tap of the Morning runs from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and Afternoon Delight 2-5:30 p.m. More information and tickets can be found at thesavannahbananas.com/beerfest or by calling 912-712-2482.

Southbound and the Savannah Music Festival have quite a party lined up. It will be February 17 at Southbound Brewing, but will feature more than just beer.

We, the craft beer consumer, get to show our appreciation for the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild and our local breweries by showing up, spending some money while having a good time and enjoying the fruits of their labors.